In a motor vehicle, the suspension system operably couples the wheels of the vehicle with the body. In this regard, the suspension system often includes an axle having a wheel hub disposed on each end of the axle which rotatably supports the wheels. A bearing assembly is commonly used to support rotational movement of the wheels. These bearing assemblies are subjected to severe stresses which results in wear requiring replacement of the bearing assembly. To replace the worn parts, it is first necessary to remove the bearing assembly. Since bearings are usually press fit into and tightly secured within bearing seats, their removal requires a great deal of effort and special tools. Moreover, the proliferation of parts associated with the suspension system makes access to the bearing assemblies difficult. For example, the use of an anti-lock brake system often requires the use of a tone wheel for measuring the rotational velocity of the wheel assembly. Frequently, the tone wheel is operably associated with an inner race of the bearing assembly which makes access to the bearing assembly difficult.
Currently, there are few tools specifically designed for the removal of bearing assemblies on wheels equipped with anti-lock brake systems. Likewise, there are few tools designed to readily remove a bearing assembly without having to remove other components associated with the suspension system, such as the shocks, springs, controls arms, traction bars etc. Consequently, it is common practice to remove some of these components prior to removing the bearing assembly. As a result, the removal and replacement of a bearing assembly is a time consuming and difficult task.